Door opener for box cars



Jan. 14, 1930. s. P. STARK DOOR OPENER FOR BOX CARS Fil-ed Feb. 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l (Ittorneg Jan. 14, 1930. s. P. STARK 1,743,249

DOOR OPENER FOR BOX CARS Fil 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventor BB S.P.St k am? 7%- EM?! Fig. 4.

attorneg Patented Jan. 14, 1930 rarer FFEQE- SHELIDA P. STARK, F OTTOSEN, IOWA DOOR OPENER FOR, BOX CARS Application filed February 27, 1929. Serial No. 343,164.

The present invention relates to operators for doors and the like, particularly of the sliding type, and has for an object to provide a device of this character which may be '5 quickly and easily applied and detached from the door and the adjacent supporting wall or frame upon which the sliding door is mounted and through which the door opening is formed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a detachable door operator which may be quickly and easily applied to box cars and the like, and which is so constructed as to increase the leverage applied to the door {or effecting the sliding of the same into open and closed position, particularly wherethere is warping or sagging in the hanger rail the side of the box car or the like, or in the door itself, and which tend to bind the door against ml sliding movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a detachable door operator which has manually operable means which may be quickly and easily operated by hand for actuiating the device to efiect the slid ng of the door, and which embodies a combination of relatively few elements which are capable of quick and easy adjustment so as to operate reversely upon the door for sliding it into open or closed position.

The invention also aims at the provision of a drum and pulley and rope arrangement the operating or major part of which may be quickly and easily secured to the door post by utilizing the usual staple and pin commonly employed for securing the door n closed position, and to provide a device of this character which is relatively small, compact, and light in weight so that it may be easily and quickly handled, and which will not occupy a great deal of space when carried or stored away when not in use.

The present invention provides certain improvements over the construction which is disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 120,371, filed July 3, 1926; the present invention presenting a simpler construction and calling for a reduced number of parts 50 to reduce the ost of manufacture of the d ce and to provide a construction which is more easily assembled, applied and detached.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in, and in p art be understood from, the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiments, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a detachable door operator constructed according to the present invention and as applied to a box car, the adjustment being illustrated for opening the door, and the door being shown in partly open position, the dotted line showing an alternative adjustment of the reverse pulling member.

Figure 2 is an enlarged edge elevation of the drum member as applied to the door post, the supporting wall and post being shown fragmentarily and in section.v

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken lengthwise through the side of the car and door, and showing in top plan view the door operator of this invention.

Figure 4- is a view similar to Figure 1 but with the door operator adjusted to close the door, and the door being shown in partly closed position, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken through the door post and adjacent parts of the wall above the drum member, and looking down upon the latter.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views, the drum member comprises a flat bar 10 provided at opposite ends with spaced overturned plates 11 providing housings at opposite ends of the bar, one for the pulley 12, and the other for the drum 13. The preferred positioning of the flat bar 10 is shown in the drawings,

and particularly in Figure 2 with the pulley 12 uppermost and the drum 13 at the bottom of the bar. A shaft 14 is mounted in the upper housing and supports the pulley 12 while a second shaft 15 is mounted in the lower housing and supports the drum 13. The shaft 15 is provided upon its outer end, bev nd the adjacent plate 11, with a handle 16 by means of which the shaft 15 and the drum 13 ay be turned.

Tie tat bar is adapted to be secured outer face of the door post 17 staple 18 carried by "o utilize the usual he door post 17.

The fiat bar 10 is provided at one or more points, preferably between the overturned plates 11, with a transverse slot 19 of suf- :ient size to snugly receive the staple 18 tnerethrough so that the usual locking pin 20 may be inserted through the staple 18 and against the outer side of the bar 10 to hold the latter in position upon the door post 7-1 7. The base of the staple 18 lies against the outer base of the door post 17, and this spacing of the bar 10 from he post is utilized for several purposes. One purpose is in binding the bar 10 upon the post, and this effected by the provision of a spacing block 21 at the inner side of the flat'bar-and preferably opposite the upper shaft 1 1 so as to hold the upper end of the flat bar in spaced relation from the post The lower 1aud of the bar 10 is provided with a lug or extension 22 through which is threaded a thumb screw 23 carrying upon its inner end a swiveled presser foot 24 adapted to bind against the outer face of the post 17 and 013611136 not only against the post, but also against the spacing block 21 to bind the intermediate portion of the flat bar lOsagainst the pin 20 in the stapleand thus hold the bar 10 and its parts rigidly upon the door post- 17.

To keep the bar 10 from swinging in an edgewise direction upon or with the staple 18, the bar 10 is provided, preferably at its upper end, and in spaced relation to the fllot 19 with side flange or wing 25 located opposite to the upper housing and which is arranged to engage the outer side of the post 17. A. flexible element 26, such as a rope or cable as shown, is secured at one end to the o lruin 13 and wound thereabout, and is carried upwardly from the drum 13 over the outer side of the pulley 12 and inwardly toward the door 27 ofthe car, as shown in Figure 1.

provided with a hook 28 which is shaped to conform to the forward edge of the door 27 so that the book may be quickly and easily engaged about the forward edge of the door as shown in Figure 1, and also so that the hook28 may, in a different adjustment of the device, be engaged about aninterinediate portion of the outer edge of the flat bar 10 as shown in Figure 4:.

The hook 28 may be provided with an opening 29 therethrough adapted to receive a nail, pin orthe like if desired for holding the hook fromsliding downwardly upon the door or'bar. It will be noted from Figure 4 that the hook 28 when engaged with the The free end of the flexible element 26 is bar 10 is located adjacent to the flange or wing 25 so that the latter may take up the force or strain which is imposed upon the bar 10 through the flexible element 26.

For reversing the direction of operation of the flexible element 26, the latter is provided intermediate its ends with a reversing element in the form of a block 30 carrying a pulley 31 over which the intermediate portion of the flexible element 26 passes and which is provided with an anchoring hook .32 arranged toengage over the door stop 33 secured 'in the usual manner against the outer .side of the box car wall 34, as shown in Figure 1. As is also shown in Fi 'ure 1, but in dotted lines, the anchoring hook 32 may be engaged with an adjacent rung 35 .of the ladder which is usually constructed at the outer side of the box car wall 3 1 near one end of the car, as shown.

The door 27 of the box car is of any suitable construction and is shown as comprising a plurality of narrow boards across the outer sides of which are secured bracin strips 36 near the upper and lower ends or the door, and the door may have a handle 37 near its bottom to facilitate sliding of the door 27' when its movement is comparatively easy, and which atthe present time is used. However, when the door ams or sticks it is frequently necessary to resort to othermeans for forcing the door into open andclosed position, and considerable damage is done not-only to the door but also the side of the car, the hangers and rails, and adjacent parts. Thedoor 27 is disclosedas having the usual hasp 38 which, when the door 27 is closed, engages over the staple 18 and'is held thereto by the pin 20 in the usual manner.

in operation, when it is desired to open the door27, the bar 10 is secured to the front face of the door post 17 in the manner above described, the thumb screw 23 binding the flat bar and its parts rigidly upon the post.

The flexible element 26 is carriedacross the outer sine of the door andthe reversing ele is secured either to the door stop 33 or to one of the rungs 35 of the latter, as above pointed out. The free end of theflexible element 26 is carried back across he outer side of the door and the hook 28 is engagedover the front edge of the door. The operator now turns'the handle 16 and winds the flexible element 26 upon the drum 13 with the result that drawing in of the flexible element 26 slides the door 27 into closed position. In this latter arrangement, an increased leverage is applied to the door for the closing movement,

and the door may be drawn with comparative ease into close-fitting contact against the post 1'2.

The device may be quickly and easily removed from the door and wall by merely loosening the thumb screw and removing the locking pin 20, and uncoupling the hooks 28 and 32. The movements are all relatively easy and no fastening devices are required, and no tools need be used.

The device may thus be rolled or folded up into relatively small space and carried from car to car, or packed away for transportation.

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiments of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A detachable door operator, comprising a winding element adapted to be secured to L door post, a flexible element connected to the winding element and adapted to extend across the outer side of a sliding door, means for anchoring the free end of the flexible element, and a reversing element carried by the flexible slement and having means for detachably se curing the same to the door and to a fixed support.

2. A detachable door operator, comprising a winding device, means for detachably securing the winding device to a door post, a cable extending from the winding device, an adjustable hook mounted on the free end of the cable adapted for interchangeable positioning upon the edge of a sliding door and upon said winding device, and a reversing element mounted intermediately on the cable and provided with a hook adapted for selective engagement with the door and with a fixed support.

3. A detachable door opera-tor, comprising a flat bar having a transverse slot intermediate its ends adapted for positioning against the door post, a staple on the door post adapted to enter the slot, said staple adapted to receive a locking pin for holding the bar to the door post, a binding screw carried by the bar for engagement against the post to bind the bar against said pin and on the staple, a drum carried by the bar, a pulley carried by the bar, a cable secured to the drum and extending over the pulley, a hook mounted on the free end of the cable adapted for selective en gagement with the edge of a sliding door and with said bar, and a reversing element having a pulley engaging an intermediate portion of said cable, and having a hook for selective engagement with the rear edge of the door and a fixed support.

4. A detachable door operator, comprising a flat bar having overturned plates at opposite ends providing housings and having a slot intermediate its ends, said bar adapted for positioning against a door post, a staple on the door post projecting through said slot, said staple adapted to receive the door locking pin therethrough for holding the bar to the post, a drum mounted in one of said housings, a pulley mounted in the other housing, a cable wound on said drum and extending over said pulley, a block and pulley mounted upon said cable, a hook carried by the block and pulley for selective engagement with the rear edge of the sliding door and with a fixed support beyond the door, and a hook carried upon the free end of said cable for selective engagement over the outer edge of the door and with said bar.

5. A detachable door operator, comprising a flat bar adapted for positioning against the front face of a door post, and provided with a transverse slot intermediate its ends, a staple projecting from the post through the slot, said staple adapted to receive the usual looking pin for holding the bar to the post, a spacing block at the inner side of the upper end of said bar, a thumb screw mounted on the lower end of said bar and having a swivel plate upon its inner end adapted to engage the outer face of the post and bind the bar in position against said pin and on the staple, a drum mounted on the lower end of said bar, a pulley mounted on the upper end of said bar, a cable secured to said drum and adapted to be wound thereabout, said cable extending from the drum over said pulley and inward ly across the door, a block and pulley mounted on the intermediate portion of said cable and having a hook adapted for selective engagement with the rear edge of said door and with a fixed support beyond the door, and an adj ustable hook mounted on the free end of said cable adapted for selective engagement with the forward edge of said door and with said bar for anchoring the free end of the cable.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

SHELIDA P. STARK. 

